Ornamental head for screws



Patenfed Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED "sTATEs Holmen wAL'rER Dovna, or NoRrrHAivirmoN, ENGLAND ORNAMENTAL 'HE-Al) FOR SCREWS Application fiIed J'une 30, 1931, Serial No. 547,864L' and1n Great Britain Ju1y 15, 1930.

The use of screws and the like in joinery, coachbuildng, motor car bodies, vehicle fittings and similar constructions involves, frequently, the employment of elaborate means to obviate the unsightliness of the heads thereof, and the object of this invention is to enable the heads of screws and the like very easily and cheaply to be covered in such manner as to present a decorative appearance, without presenting a protuberance of undue size.

In the case of some article of furniture such as billiard tables, pianos and the like, and in the case of finger plates for doors, turned buttons have been screwed or cemented into position over screwheads, whilst in the case of screws for bathroom and like fittings the screws have been tapped axially to enable such a covering button to be screwed into position without the employment of a screwdriver, the present invention, however, enables the heads of standard screws to be covered without any auxiliary screw-threading and without the use of any special tools.

It is known also to provide an apertured washer adapted to be fitted under the head of a screw and formed with an out-turned rim which may be engaged by an inturned rim on a cover plate adapted to be sprung into position after the screw has been driven home, but such a Construction presents a protuberance of undue size, and the cover plate is liable to be knocked ofi easily.

According to the present invention a cover plate for the head of a screw is provided on its reverse side with a loop or like bowed part of resilient material adapted to be forced into the. kerf or cross-cut in the head of the screw so that said cover plate may lie closely against said head.

The loop or like bowed part may be formed integrally with the cover plate or it may be formed in a piece of resilient material secured beneath the cover plate, e. g. by retroverting the margin or parts of the margin of For instance when the loop or like bowed part is integral with the cover plate a cross groove results, corresponding with the kerf of the screw head, and further cross grooves may be formed in the cover plate to produce aiiseries of equi-angularly spaced radial lines.

A strip of thin spring steel, of a width not greater than the diameter of the head of the screw at the bottom of the kerf, may be formed with a t-ransverse loop or bight at the centre of its length, the overall length of the strip after the loop has been formed being not greater 'than the greatest diameter of the screwhead, whilst a cover plate is formed to any desired pattern. Ifthe cover plate be of thin sheet metal'the whole of its margin may be retroverted after the steel strip has been laid in position across its back, the margin of the cover plate being thus caused to overlie the ends of the steel strip and secure the two partswto one another. If the cover plate be of thick'metal it is sufiicient to form atdiametrically opposite points, a pair of tongues which may-be retroverted over the ends of the steel strip or in some cases especially where the cover plate isV of very thick material one end of the strip may be soldered or similarly secured in position.

The cover plate maybe made of sheet metal, celluloid or like moulded material or other convenient substance and in size should not be less than that of-the screw head and in the case of a screw having a so-called countersunk head of usual` form it is desirable that the cover plate should be of such size as to constitute. a continuation of the tapered head of thescrew. i i

The invention is illustrated by the accompanyingV drawings F igure 1 being a plan and Figure 2 a sectional side elevation of one form whilst Figure 3 is a section corresponding with Figure 2, but showing a different cover plate; Figure 4: is a sectional side elevation of the form shown in Figure 3; Figuref)` is ayplan of the lower part, the cover plate being removed, and Figure 6 is a developed plan of the latter.

' As'showna piece ofsheet metal is Stamped to produce two nearlysemi-circular portions a a united by narrow necks b b with a central portion c which is pressed out from the plane of the portions a a to constitute a bowed central portion adapted to fit into the kerf d of the head of a screw e. The ends of the central portion c are formed as wings f f which are bent laterally outwards so that their overall width is greater than that of the kerf cl and the lower part so formed is provided with a cover plate g the margin of which is retroverted so as to underlie the circumferential margins of the portions a a. shown in Figures 1 and 2 the cover plate g is embossed with a pattern, a padding hof cardboard or the like being interposed between it and the portions a a, whilsttin' the form shown in Figures 3 and t the cover plate g is flat and plain.

After the screw e 'has been driven into position the bowed part c is placed in posi- |tion in the kerf d of the head of the screw e and pressure applied to the cover plate g, the wings f f being compressed slightly so that their tendency to expandserves to hold the cover plate g in position. It is desirable that the wings f f should press against the sides of the kerf cl below the level of the top of the head of the screw, so as to increase the frictional effect. If it be desired to remove a screw so covered, the cover plate g can be prised away from the head and the screw unscrewed in the usual manner.

The employment of such means for covering screw heads enables a `decorative effect to be obtained very readily and very cheaply and if desired the means may be coloured to match or harmonize with the surroundings. A further advantage is that steel screws may be employed in places where otherwise, brass screws would be employed; further, it is to be observed that the invention is not confined to any particular type of screw, but can be used in all cases where it is desired to conceal the head of a screw or the like.

I claimz.

1. Improved means for covering the head of a screw comprising a cover plate provided on its reverse side with a loop or like bowed part of resilient material adapted to be forced into the kerf or cross-cut in said head so that said cover plate may lie closely against saidhead.

2. Improved means for covering the head of a screw, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover plate is retroverted at its margin under the'margins of a piece of resilient material from which the central transverse portion is pressed out to constitute the bowed part.

3. Improved means for covering the head of a screw, as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the cover plate is retroverted at its margin under the margins of a piece of resilient material from which the centralr transverse portion is pressed out to constitute the bowed part and wherein the piece of resilient materialV com- In the formf prises two nearly semicircular portions united by narrow necks with the central bowed part.

4. Improved means for covering the head of a screw, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover plate is retroverted at its margin under the margins of a piece of resilient material from which the central transverse portion is pressed out to constitute the bowed part and wherein the piece of resilient materialcomprises two-nearly semicircular portions united by narrow necks with the central bowed part and'wherein the central bowed part is formed with laterally spread Wings, substantially as set forth.

HORACE WALTER DOVER. 

